


Numb Kind of Pain

by zarabithia



Series: Kate/Clint Six Day OTP Challenge [2]
Category: Avengers (Comic), Hawkeye (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Angst, F/M, References to Canon Sexual Assault, references to canon character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-04
Updated: 2012-08-04
Packaged: 2017-11-11 09:49:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/477222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate has nightmares.  Sometimes, she lets her boyfriend help her deal with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Numb Kind of Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "cuddling somewhere."

The dreams aren't always about Cassie. Kate has more than enough fodder for nightmares, from events that are related to being an Avenger and from events which took place long before Kate ever picked up a bow - though, in truth, she can hardly say those aren't related to her being an Avenger, can she? 

Some nights, the dreams bring back memories of a park and hands that hold her still against her will. On those nights, Kate is up and out of the bed the minute that her eyes open. 

Clint doesn't follow her. Oh, Kate can tell he wants to - the way he sits up at the first scream, the way his hand reaches out, but doesn't touch...

In addition to his very obvious and very poorly hidden body language, Kate's had more than one sparring session with his ex-wife and she knows damn well who _trained_ Clint to not follow her out of the room when those dreams hit. 

Because he doesn't. He lets her have the time she needs, and doesn't let on that it bothers him that she seeks comfort in the couch and the warm body of their dog to snuggle instead of him. 

Other nights, there is no park. Instead, there is a crowded gathering of useless superheroes and the limp body of Kate's best friend. 

On those nights, all she really wants to do is pick up the phone and call the rest of her team and hear their voices, to make sure they're okay. But she doesn't, because nobody wants a 6 a.m. wake-up call - and because she knows that is the one nightmare they all share. 

Instead, she rolls over, and wraps her arms around her boyfriend, and let's him take the care that she has to deny him when it comes time for her other nightmares. 

"I'm not a cuddler," she says. 

"I know," he answers. "Want to talk about it?" 

"You were there. What's the point?" 

Then he hugs her a little tighter - an apology that isn't necessary - and kisses the top of her head. He talks instead, and tells her about Avengers she's never heard of, who haven't come back. He tells her about Jan, and how much Hank misses her. He tells her about Steve, and the way that everyone who ever served as an Avenger has heard him cry out Bucky's name, just the way she cries out for Cassie.

Sometimes, if the dream is bad enough, and she hasn't let go, he talks about the carnival. They never mention Barney by name, or the fact that he _is_ back, because hey, they've both fought him, so it isn't necessary.

Kate likes to think that the conversations do them both a bit of good. She gets to hang on to one of the people that matter the most to her, and he gets to freely talk about his feelings, which isn't something Clint's the best at. 

But no matter how good it is for them, eventually, the all-consuming horror of the dream fades to the distant, always present numb kind of pain that Kate is used to, and the need to sleep takes precedence. When that moment comes, Kate sits up, kisses her boyfriend on the lips, and says, "Story time was good. Let's never do it again."

The grin is always the same, though the smart ass reply varies. 

Either way, they both know they'll end up here again. 

In the meantime, Kate rolls over and cuddles her pillow tightly before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
